Martial Arts News

Gregory Rodrigues avenged a previous loss in his rematch with Brunno Ferreira at UFC 326.

Rodrigues (19-6) suffered a first-round knockout loss in his first meeting against Ferreira (15-3) in 2023. “RoboCop” got an opportunity to avenge his loss after three years in their rematch at UFC 326 on Saturday. Rodrigues returned the favor by knocking out Ferreira in less than two minutes. 

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Enjoying the Process Rodrigues is glad to prove to himself that he is a different fighter since the first meeting with Rodrigues. The 34-year-old explains that he more patient and enjoys his time inside the Octagon more.

“I just proved to myself I’m a different fighter since then,” Rodrigues said in a post fight interview with the UFC. “… My patience, I was enjoying the fight, took my time. I love being inside the Octagon. When the doors lock and it’s just me and the other guy and I have 15 minutes to play and do what I love to do, what I choose to do. I started en…

Donte Johnson isn’t satisfied with his performance against Cody Brundage at UFC 326. 

Johnson (8-0) was a massive favorite going into his sophomore UFC outing against middleweight veteran Brundage (11-9) at UFC 326 on Saturday in Las Vegas. While Johnson came out all guns blazing, Brundage took him down in the opening seconds and controlled him for most of the first round. Brundage showed composure in going toe-to-toe against the aggressive Johnson for three rounds. Johnson eventually earned a narrow split-decision victory, going to the judges' scorecards for the first time in his career. Johnson had finished all seven of his previous wins, going past the first round only in his UFC debut against Sedriques Dumas last year. 

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Plenty of Work to Do Johnson subsequently admitted that he was disappointed with his performance despite getting his hand raised. The 27-year-old notes that Brundage had a significant advantage over him in terms of expe…

Arman Tsarukyan isn’t taking Georgio Poullas and Paulo Costa’s joint callout to him and Khamzat Chimaev seriously. 

Poullas and Tsarukyan have definite bad blood between them stemming from their wrestling match at RAF 6 last month. After multiple fouls, Poullas suffered a loss against Tsarukyan, who then exacted revenge by punching him, leading to a massive brawl. 

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Poullas and Tsarukyan are now scheduled to meet in a rematch at RAF 7 on March 28 in Tampa. Poullas is training with Paulo Costa for his upcoming rematch against Tsarukyan. Costa, who has a long-standing beef with Chimaev, issued a joint callout to “Borz” and Tsarukyan.Tag Team Match? “I’m here with the beast, Georgio,” Costa said. “We train with the best. And be ready, because we look for you guys. You know who we’re talking about, right? [Arman, Khamzat,] no chance for you motherf—-ers.”

Tsarukyan responded, dismissing both Poullas and Costa as “bodybuilders.”

Tsaru…

After securing his first UFC win, Diyar Nurgozhay is grateful to those who supported him during tough times.

Nurgozhay (11-2) looked to earn his first UFC win in a light heavyweight matchup against Rafael Tobias (14-2) at UFC 326 on Saturday in Las Vegas. A sizeable underdog, Nurgozhay outstruck Tobias on the feet to earn a unanimous decision win. 

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Nurgozhay entered the UFC as a highly touted, undefeated prospect with eight finishes in 10 wins. However, the Kazakh suffered a submission loss against Brendson Rebeiro in his UFC debut last year. Nurgozhay followed it up with another submission loss against Uran Satybaldiev in his sophomore UFC outing. Nurgozhay revealed that a lot of his home fans from Kazakhstan counted him out after two consecutive losses in the UFC. But Nurgozhay is grateful to his close ones who stayed with him through thick and thin.Thanks to the ‘True People’“I don’t know what I’m proud of, but what I can say is that there …

Opinions are all over the map for the big announcement of the oft-discussed Ultimate Fighting Championship White House event.

On the main card broadcast of Saturday’s UFC 326 offering, during the conclusion of the four-fight portion simulcast on the CBS network, the promotion revealed all six bouts that will be held on its fabled UFC White House card. The event, also titled “Freedom 250,” will feature a pair of championship tilts including one unification match and another for an interim strap. The bout that will headline the June 14 show on the White House grounds in Washington, D.C., will be one rumored for some time: Ilia Topuria (17-0) vs. Justin Gaethje (27-5) for the undisputed lightweight championship.

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Topuria serves as one of a small number of two-division champions in organizational history, as he picked up the featherweight strap in 2024 by sparking Alexander Volkanovski with one punch atop UFC 298. He defended that throne once by icing M…

There was no “Fight of the Night” bonus at UFC 326 despite the main event being a “BMF” showdown.

Max Holloway put his BMF title on the line against Charles Oliveira in the main event at UFC 326. Oliveira dominated Holloway on the ground for most of the fight to earn a unanimous decision.

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Rodolfo Bellato (13-2) welcomed debutant Luke Fernandez (6-1) in a light heavyweight matchup. After being split open by Fernandez early on, Bellato dropped his opponent with a left hook and followed it up with punches, forcing the referee to step in at 2:42 on the opening round to secure a “Performance of the Night” bonus.

Alberto Montes made his Octagon debut in a featherweight matchup against Ricky Turcios. Montes survived wild haymakers from Turcios and locked in an anaconda choke to notch a submission in the second round. “The Promise” earned a POTN bonus for his fifth career submission.

Gregory Rodrigues opened the main card in a middleweight matchup ag…

Charles Oliveira eliminated all drama from a long-awaited rematch that had the buying public brimming with anticipation.

The Chute Boxe superstar flashed his superiority in all phases, seized the symbolic BMF title and raised his Ultimate Fighting Championship profile to new heights with a one-sided unanimous decision over Max Holloway in the UFC 326 main event on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All three judges scored it 50-45 for Oliveira (37-11, 25-11 UFC), who avenged his 2015 loss to the former featherweight champion and future hall of famer.

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Holloway (27-9, 23-9 UFC) had no answers for the Brazilian grappling savant. Oliveira attacked with leg kicks and powerful right hands in standup exchanges but separated himself through takedowns, suffocating control and a relentless submission game. He struck for takedowns in all five rounds, advanced to Holloway’s back on several occasions and alternated between rear-naked chokes, face cranks an…

Sherdog's live UFC 326 coverage will begin Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fernandez (-225), Bellato (+185)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tobias (-225), Nurgozhay (+185)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Mudaerji (-278), Aguilar (+225)Round…

Repeated fouls cost Long Xiao the most important win of his career.

The “Road to UFC” Season 2 finalist was penalized two points for three low blows and took a major step back in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division with a unanimous decision defeat to Cody Garbrandt in their featured UFC 326 prelim on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Garbrandt (15-7, 10-7 UFC).

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Xiao (27-11, 1-3 UFC) battered the Ohio native’s body, legs and head with kicks through much of the first two rounds. He then ran aground. Xiao connected with three low blows—the second resulted in Garbrandt dry heaving and ultimately vomiting into a bucket in the center of the cage—in the third round and lost two points. Garbrandt stayed on his bicycle and pot-shotted the Xin-Du Martial Arts Club export after the deductions to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Meanwhile, Gnosis Combat Sports prospect…

Daniel Cormier doesn’t want to share accommodations with Jon Jones at ALF Reality.

Cormier and Jones are currently starring as rival coaches on ALF Reality, also known as the unaffiliated Russian version of “The Ultimate Fighter.” While filming for the show in Thailand, Cormier asked for a villa as far away from Jones’ as possible.

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“My relationship with Jon Jones is nothing. I don’t have a relationship with Jon Jones… Make sure his house is as far away from mine as can be,” Cormier said. “I don’t need his energy around me.”

Jones vowed to defeat Cormier as a coach in the competition. “Bones” understands Cormier’s demand for a separate villa as there won’t be anyone to intervene if they get into a physical altercation.

“I’m a fierce competitor,” Jones said. “I’m here to win. I’m here to get my third victory against Daniel Cormier. I’m here to show the world that I’m a better fighter and a better coach… I understand. We can’t [allow] anything ba…

Tom Aspinall believes that merely talking about fighter pay won’t help fighters.

Aspinall recently made headlines by signing a management deal with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who is now considered Dana White’s rival. Aspinall addressed issues about Ultimate Fighting Championship pay, especially regarding the discrepancy with Zuffa boxing. While UFC fighters have been complaining about their purses for years, White's latest venture, Zuffa Boxing, recently signed Conor Benn for $15 million.

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However, Aspinall argues that there is no point in fighters complaining about their salaries, as they signed a contract they agreed upon. The UFC heavyweight champ is instead looking for avenues outside the Octagon to earn more money.

“They like to complain about the money that we’re getting paid,” Aspinall said at a press conference to reveal his signing with Matchroom Talent Agency. “That’s the contract that we all signed. We’re not gonna get more than that. I…

The fighting woes continue for former Bellator MMA kingpin Patrick “Patchy” Mix.

Just one day before his 20th birthday, Kyoma Akimoto earned the biggest victory of his burgeoning MMA career in Friday’s Rizin Fighting Federation 52 main event in Tokyo. Akimoto clobbered -450 betting favorite Mix early in the second round of their featured featherweight clash.

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In the opening seconds of the fight, Akimoto (12-1, 7-1 Rizin) stuffed a takedown attempt from Mix (20-4, 1-1 Rizin), and the fighters traded jabs until Akimoto stunned Mix for the first time with a crisp combination that backed him to the corner. Mix recovered, but Akimoto attacked his body with more punches and then dropped him with a salvo to the face.

During the final 30 seconds of the round, Akimoto notched two more knockdowns and punished Mix with knees and soccer kicks on the ground. Mix narrowly made it to the bell, but his cornermen delayed the start of the second round by not leaving …